Operational challenges within ORR and the ORR emergency intake site at Fort Bliss hindered case management for children

Operational challenges within ORR and the ORR emergency intake site at Fort Bliss hindered case management for children

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
Report in brief (United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General)
Contributor(s):
United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General. Office of Evaluation and Inspections, issuing body.
Publication:
Washington, D.C. : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, September 2022
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Child Health
Child Welfare
Emigrants and Immigrants
Government Regulation
Refugees
Texas
United States. Office of Refugee Resettlement
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Why OIG Did This Review. In 2021, the United States saw a substantial increase in the number of unaccompanied children who arrived at the southern border and were referred to the care of HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The number of such children increased from 1,929 children in October 2020 to 20,339 children in April 2021. At the same time, ORR’s capacity to care for children was diminished due to COVID-19- related staffing shortages and the loss of bed space due to recommended public health mitigation strategies. To accommodate these children, ORR - a program office of HHS’s Administration for Children and Families (ACF) that operates the Unaccompanied Children Program - opened 14 temporary emergency intake sites (EISs), including the ORR EIS at Fort Bliss, Texas. Members of Congress, child welfare advocates, and staff at ORR facilities raised concerns about inadequate case management at the ORR EIS at Fort Bliss and its adverse effect on children’s well-being and their safe and timely release to sponsors. How OIG Did This Review. This review analyzed information from interviews with 66 ORR and facility staff. It also analyzed HHS documents related to case management at ORR facilities. Finally, OIG visited the ORR EIS at Fort Bliss in June 2021.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (53 pages))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
9918715886106676 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918715886106676